CORE

CORE

Your Core is the foundation of your organization—why you exist, what you stand for, and the assets you use to operate consistently.

Why It Matters
Without a clear Core, decisions drift, messaging changes, and growth creates confusion instead of momentum.

When This Becomes Critical

  • Decisions feel inconsistent or reactive
  • Teams explain your mission differently
  • Work is constantly being recreated instead of reused

Quick Gut Check
If you paused your team and asked “what do we stand for?”, would you get the same answer?

 

How critical is this area to improving your organization’s results over the next 3–6 months?*

How critical is this area to improving your organization’s results over the next 3–6 months?*

How well is the fundamental reason your organization exists understood and used by everyone?*

How well is the fundamental reason your organization exists understood and used by everyone?*

How well is your organization's core purpose written down and used to guide your work?*

How well is your organization's core purpose written down and used to guide your work?*

What happens when your organization needs to make a big decision or take on a new opportunity related to its core purpose?*

What happens when your organization needs to make a big decision or take on a new opportunity related to its core purpose?*

How does your organization determine its point of view on important issues and topics in your field?*

How does your organization determine its point of view on important issues and topics in your field?*

How are your organization's clear positions (Stances) documented and actively used in practice?*

How are your organization's clear positions (Stances) documented and actively used in practice?*

What happens when a new, unexpected industry issue or opportunity arises that requires your organization to take a public position?*

What happens when a new, unexpected industry issue or opportunity arises that requires your organization to take a public position?*

How easy is it for your team to find and use existing content, images, or creative materials for new projects?*

How easy is it for your team to find and use existing content, images, or creative materials for new projects?*

When it comes to your creative assets (like logos, images, and templates), how well are they organized and documented for people to find and use independently?*

When it comes to your creative assets (like logos, images, and templates), how well are they organized and documented for people to find and use independently?*

What happens when you or your team needs to find a specific brand asset, like a logo, image, or presentation template?*

What happens when you or your team needs to find a specific brand asset, like a logo, image, or presentation template?*

CHARACTER

CHARACTER

Character is how your organization shows up—your voice, visual identity, and positioning in the market.

Why It Matters
If Character isn’t consistent, your brand becomes forgettable, harder to trust, and difficult to scale.

When This Becomes Critical

  • Your brand looks or sounds different across channels
  • Only certain people can “get it right”
  • Customers don’t clearly see how you’re different

Quick Gut Check
Would someone recognize your brand instantly across different touchpoints?

How critical is this area to improving your organization’s results over the next 3–6 months?*

How critical is this area to improving your organization’s results over the next 3–6 months?*

How do you approach defining and using your organization's distinct place in the market?*

How do you approach defining and using your organization's distinct place in the market?*

Regarding your organization's distinct market positioning (how you stand out), how is this typically managed and kept current?*

Regarding your organization's distinct market positioning (how you stand out), how is this typically managed and kept current?*

What happens when people in your organization talk about what makes you different?*

What happens when people in your organization talk about what makes you different?*

How would you describe the personality and style that comes through in your organization's communication?*

How would you describe the personality and style that comes through in your organization's communication?*

How is your brand's unique personality and style (its 'voice') shared and maintained across all your communications?*

How is your brand's unique personality and style (its 'voice') shared and maintained across all your communications?*

How do you ensure all your customer communications consistently sound like 'you'?*

How do you ensure all your customer communications consistently sound like 'you'?*

How would you describe the consistency and management of your organization's visual brand (logo, colors, fonts, and imagery)?*

How would you describe the consistency and management of your organization's visual brand (logo, colors, fonts, and imagery)?*

How are your brand's visual standards (like colors, fonts, and logo use) documented and shared to ensure consistency?*

How are your brand's visual standards (like colors, fonts, and logo use) documented and shared to ensure consistency?*

What happens when someone needs to create new branded materials (like a presentation or social media post)?*

What happens when someone needs to create new branded materials (like a presentation or social media post)?*

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

Community is your ecosystem—customers, partners, and team—and how they connect and reinforce each other.

Why It Matters
Strong growth comes from relationships, not just transactions. Weak Community leads to churn, missed referrals, and lost leverage.

When This Becomes Critical

  • Customer relationships feel transactional
  • Partners don’t contribute beyond contracts
  • Your team isn’t actively representing or advocating

Quick Gut Check
Are your customers, partners, and team working together—or operating in silos?

How critical is this area to improving your organization’s results over the next 3–6 months?*

How critical is this area to improving your organization’s results over the next 3–6 months?*

How does your organization typically approach understanding and engaging with your customers?*

How does your organization typically approach understanding and engaging with your customers?*

How do you track and document your approach to understanding, engaging, and retaining customers?*

How do you track and document your approach to understanding, engaging, and retaining customers?*

How does your organization typically handle customer feedback or issues?*

How does your organization typically handle customer feedback or issues?*

How well do your external partners (like vendors, agencies, or collaborators) understand and represent your brand to others?*

How well do your external partners (like vendors, agencies, or collaborators) understand and represent your brand to others?*

How is information about your brand, mission, and differentiation shared and maintained with your external partners?*

How is information about your brand, mission, and differentiation shared and maintained with your external partners?*

What happens when partners need to represent your company or communicate its value to others?*

What happens when partners need to represent your company or communicate its value to others?*

How does your organization approach its team members speaking about and representing the brand to the public?*

How does your organization approach its team members speaking about and representing the brand to the public?*

When it comes to your team (or you, if you're a solo operator) representing your brand publicly, how are the guidelines and key messages for doing so managed and shared?*

When it comes to your team (or you, if you're a solo operator) representing your brand publicly, how are the guidelines and key messages for doing so managed and shared?*

What happens when someone on your team (or you, if you're a solo founder) is asked to talk about your company or what you do?*

What happens when someone on your team (or you, if you're a solo founder) is asked to talk about your company or what you do?*

CHANNELS

CHANNELS

Channels are how you reach and engage your audience—owned, paid, earned, and social.

Why It Matters
Without focus and integration, effort gets spread thin and growth becomes dependent on paid reach or platform changes.

When This Becomes Critical

  • You’re active in many places but not strong in any
  • Paid costs are rising without clear return
  • You lose contact with your audience over time

Quick Gut Check
If one major platform disappeared tomorrow, would you still be able to reach your audience?

How critical is this area to improving your organization’s results over the next 3–6 months?*

How critical is this area to improving your organization’s results over the next 3–6 months?*

How would you describe the current state of your organization's owned digital channels, like your website, email, or blog?*

How would you describe the current state of your organization's owned digital channels, like your website, email, or blog?*

How would you describe the system or process you use to manage your owned digital channels (like your website, email list, or social media pages you control)?*

How would you describe the system or process you use to manage your owned digital channels (like your website, email list, or social media pages you control)?*

How do you manage updates and communications across your own digital channels (like your website, blog, and email)?*

How do you manage updates and communications across your own digital channels (like your website, blog, and email)?*

How does your organization manage its spending on advertising and paid promotions?*

How does your organization manage its spending on advertising and paid promotions?*

How organized and documented is your process for managing paid advertising, allocating budgets, and tracking its performance?*

How organized and documented is your process for managing paid advertising, allocating budgets, and tracking its performance?*

What happens when you need to understand how well your paid ads are actually performing and what to do next?*

What happens when you need to understand how well your paid ads are actually performing and what to do next?*

When it comes to getting media coverage and managing relationships with journalists, how would you describe your organization's current approach?*

When it comes to getting media coverage and managing relationships with journalists, how would you describe your organization's current approach?*

How do you manage your efforts to get media coverage and build relationships with journalists?*

How do you manage your efforts to get media coverage and build relationships with journalists?*

How does your organization handle opportunities to get media coverage and build visibility?*

How does your organization handle opportunities to get media coverage and build visibility?*

How would you describe your approach to choosing and using social media platforms for your organization?*

How would you describe your approach to choosing and using social media platforms for your organization?*

How do you typically plan, create, and manage your social media content and interactions?*

How do you typically plan, create, and manage your social media content and interactions?*

How do you approach your organization's social media presence?*

How do you approach your organization's social media presence?*

CONVERSION

CONVERSION

Conversion is the journey from awareness to action to retention—how people move from discovering you to becoming long-term customers.

Why It Matters
If conversion is weak, you lose value at every stage—wasting traffic, losing customers, and limiting growth.

When This Becomes Critical

  • People show interest but don’t take action
  • Customers don’t stick or come back
  • You’re unsure where or why people drop off

Quick Gut Check
Do you know where people are getting stuck—and what’s causing it?

How critical is this area to improving your organization’s results over the next 3–6 months?*

How critical is this area to improving your organization’s results over the next 3–6 months?*

How would you describe the first impression someone gets when they encounter your organization for the very first time?*

How would you describe the first impression someone gets when they encounter your organization for the very first time?*

How do you manage or organize the way new people first encounter your organization and take their initial steps to learn more?*

How do you manage or organize the way new people first encounter your organization and take their initial steps to learn more?*

What happens when someone who's never heard of your organization tries to figure out what you actually do?*

What happens when someone who's never heard of your organization tries to figure out what you actually do?*

How easy is it for someone who wants to take action (like buy, sign up, or reach out) to actually do so with your organization?*

How easy is it for someone who wants to take action (like buy, sign up, or reach out) to actually do so with your organization?*

How is the process for someone to go from being interested to actually taking action (like buying or signing up) managed or tracked within your organization?*

How is the process for someone to go from being interested to actually taking action (like buying or signing up) managed or tracked within your organization?*

What happens when someone actually tries to sign up, buy, or take action on your website or through your process?*

What happens when someone actually tries to sign up, buy, or take action on your website or through your process?*

After someone takes their first action with your organization (e.g., buys something, signs up), what generally happens next to keep them involved and encourage them to return?*

After someone takes their first action with your organization (e.g., buys something, signs up), what generally happens next to keep them involved and encourage them to return?*

Think about how you turn a new customer into someone who comes back again and again. How is this process managed or documented?*

Think about how you turn a new customer into someone who comes back again and again. How is this process managed or documented?*

What happens after someone takes their first action or makes a first purchase?*

What happens after someone takes their first action or makes a first purchase?*

What's your email address? We'll send your report here.*

What's your email address? We'll send your report here.*

How many people work in your organization (including contractors)?*

How many people work in your organization (including contractors)?*

Which best describes your organization?*

Which best describes your organization?*